Visible Pulse!
Category:Biology in elementary schools Visible Pulse Student Worthiness Tried and Trusted. Category:Biology in elementary schools Primary biological content area covered *Human Body *Heart Beat *Pulse Rate and how it changes with activity *Blood Flow Materials *straws *clay *paper and pens for charting *3 watches or timers that measure seconds *Hear Your Heart by Paul Showers Handouts Handout explaining blood flow, individual tables for charting each person's pulse rate, and one large table for the entire class. Description of activity Students will find pulse and place clay on their necks with a straw, in order to visibly see their pulse move. As the students engage in different activities, they will compare and contrast heart rates. Lesson plan # Teacher's will explain to students that we will be looking at pulse rates before and after activity. # Initial inquiry into pulse rate knowledge, ie. "Do you know what a pulse rate is? Do you know how to find a pulse rate?" # Seperate students into pairs. # Pass out clay and straws. Explain that we are going to look at our pulse rates while we are at rest. Ask them to find where their pulse rate is the strongest. Model if they are unsure where to look. # Have them place clay on their necks where they have the strongest pulse and stick a straw in the clay. They may need a student or teacher's assistance. # Pulse rate will be recorded for 30 seconds counting the number of straw movements. # Record results on the chart provided for "At Rest" category # Have students participate in 1 minute of jumping jacks to raise their heart rate. # Record these results in "Jumping Jacks" category # Give time for heart rate to slow down. # Have students check final heart rate. Chart results. # Compile all results onto class chart. Leave space for absent students results. # Discuss with the students the results: #*-What difference did you notice between being at rest and doing the jumping jacks? Between jumping jacks and your final heart rate? #*-Were you surprised at what you found # Read Hear Your Heart for pulse rate connections. # Have students put together a package for absent students including Potential pitfalls -Clay not being able to stick well -Movement of straw is not visible enough Math connections Activity involves basic counting and charting as well as calculating differences in heart rates. Literature Connection Hear Your Heart is a nonfiction picture book about heart rate and how it works. Connections to educational standards This section is used to help teachers track and document the educational standards that the activity meets. What educational standards does this activity address? Enter the relevant section numbers here. Vermont standards can be found in web links at the bottom of this page. Feel free to add links to other standards. Next steps The students can apply this in their own lives by noticing why they feel the way do after certain activites. Citations and links This activity adapted from Zoom